1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to expansible chamber devices, and more particularly, to an expansible chamber device in which a pair of flaps cooperate with a reciprocating piston to increase the effective working area of the chamber and therefore the efficiency of the system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous attempts have been made in recent years to improve the overall operating efficiency of various expansible chamber devices. This is particularly true with regard to internal combustion engines wherein the operating efficiency of the engine is directly related to the rate of fuel consumption during use. Because of shortages in available fuel and increases in the cost of such fuel, the objectives of improving engine efficiency and reducing fuel consumption have been given high priority for some time.
Despite such priority treatment and the urgent need for a more efficient combustion chamber, conventional efficiency improving systems have been of limited success. This is true despite the recognition that greater efficiency can be obtained by concentrating as much of the expansive force as possible on the head of the working piston and to avoid dissipation of expansive force in directions that do not produce power. The prior art, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 147,519; 345,446; 1,266,252; 1,529,721 and 2,804,496 is generally cognizant of systems which seek to increase efficiency by providing a greater effective working area against which expansive forces can act. None of these prior systems, however, can withstand the tremendous forces experienced during actual use especially in connection with an internal combustion engine. Further, many suffer from the disadvantage that they are extremely sensitive and must be critically balanced in order to prevent self-destruction. In those situations, knocking as produced by partial ignition or hot spots in the cylinder chamber would cause rapid deterioriation of the piston mechanism and damage to the engine.
Despite the known defects and disadvantages of available prior art units, there has not been heretofore available an expansive chamber device of simple and durable construction for increasing engine efficiency and decreasing fuel losses.